Electric-lamp socket.



No. 879,724. PATENTED PEB. 18, 1908. R. B. BENJAMIN. ELECTRIC LAMPSOCKET. I

APPLICATION FILED PEB.29. 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

REUBEN B. BENJAMIN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO BENJAMIN ELECTRICMANU- A FACTURING COMPANY, F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OFILLINOIS.

`Speexijcation of Letters Patent.'

Patented Feb. 1s, 1908.

Application filed February 29. 1904- Serial No. 195.829.

.'l'o'all whom fit may concern:

Be it known that I, REUBEN B. BENJAMIN,

` cago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Electric-Lamp Sockets, of whichthe following is a full, clear, concise, .and exact description,reference being had to the accompanying-drawing, Vforming a part of thisspecification. a v

My invention relates to electric lamp sockets, and more particularly tosockets adapted to indoor pendent work. t

One of the objects of my mventlon 1s to provide an improved form ofsocket, whereby the usual metallic cap havlng an opemng therethrough forthe leading-in wlres and an insulating bushing in said opening 1savolded.

Another object of my invention is to provide an im roved'form ofinsulating lining for the soc et, and to this end I provide a two piecelining having the adjacent ends overlapping to form a contlnuous andunitary insulating member, whereby the lining may be more readilyinserted in the casing of the socket, and may .be more cheaplymanufactured.

I have illustrated my inventlon 1n the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of myv socket; Fig. 2 is a sectiontaken on the line 2-2 of 1; 3 is a sectlon taken on the line 3-3 of Fig.1 Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of4 Fig. 2; Fig. 5 isa view similar to Fig. 1, showing the manner in `which the leading-inwires are secured; Fig. 6 is a sectional view of a modiication of mysocket; and, Figs. 7 and 8 show additional modiications of my socket'.

In the preferred construction of my invention, I provide an insulatingbase 1 referably made of porcelain or like materla upon the lower faceof which a threadedlamp receiving shell 2 is secured by means of screws3 which pass downwardly through apertures formed in the base and engagein a U-shaped contact 5, disposed in the bottom of the shell. The upperportion of the apertures throu h which the screws 3 pass are preferablylled with cement in the usual manner after the screws have been placedin position. The U-shaped contact plate 5 has an upwardly extendingportion 6 which extends through the shell and projects in a side recessformed in the base. A suitable binding screw 7 is carried by theupwardly extending portion 6`to which one of the leading-in wires may besecured. An upwardly extending portion 8 carrying a binding screw 9 itsin asimilar recess formed on the op osite side ofthe base, and has aninwargly bent portion which rests in a position in front of the bottomface of the base 1, and slightly out of engagement therewith to form acenter spring contact 10. A narrow strip or tongue 11 is preferablystruck up from this spring contact by means of which the contact issecured in place upon the base 2 by a screw 12. A centrally dis osedlongitudinal opening 14 having roun ed or flared side walls 15 4isformed in the'upper portion of the base 1 to accommodate the leading-inwires ofthe socket. This opening communicates with a transverse opening16 which extends through the base, whereby after the wires have beendrawn through the opening 14, they may be drawn to one side and a knotformed therein to support the socket, as shown in Fig. 5.

Ay metallic, casing 19, preferably formed from a single piece of metalis secured to the base and incloses the socket as shown. This casingis'secured to the base by means of screws 20 which enter recesses formedin the base. The casing has arranged therein an insulating lining whichis inter osed between the casing and the threaded s ell, and bindingpost to insulate the same from the meta lic casino and prevent danger ofshort circuits and the like. This lininor is preferably formed of twomembers, one o the members 21 being disposed between the binding postand casing, and having inwardly turned lower edges 22 which overlap theoutwardly turned upper edges of the second lining member 23, which isdisposed between the casing and the shell. A bead24 is formed in thelower end of the shell into which fits a bearing formed on the lining.The insulating base extends preferably slightly above the casing andforms a cap or covering for the socket.

In the modified form of my invention illustrated in Fig. 6, theinsulating lining 23 is formed from one piece of material, and thecasing has an inturned ilange 24 which fits over the upper surface ofthe base to sup ort the casing 1n position. A neck or shou der piece ofmaterial.

extends above the flange 24, and thereby insulates the same fromtheleading-in wires..

In the modification shown in Fig. 7, the' base 1 isl secured within thecasing 19 by means of a screw 20, which extends through the casing, andfits in an aperture in the base, and the insulating lining 19 is formedof one An insulating washer or utton preferably formed of porcelain isdisosed within the top of the casing 19, and has an upwardly extendingneck 28 which insulates the leading-in wires from the casing.

This button is provided with a'central a er-v ture having flared sidewalls to accommo ate the leadin -in wires, and a recess 16 is formedbetween t e base and the washer to receive the knot formed in theleading-in wires. In the structure shown in Fig. 8 a metal cap isarranged to fit over the top of the casing 19, being held in positionthereon by a screw 20. A disk or lining of insulatin material 27 isdisposed within the cap and as the edges of a centrally disposedaperture turned back and extending'through the a erture formedV in thecap 26 to insulate the eading-in wires from the casing.

While I have described certain preferred,

forms of my-invention, it will be understood that modifications andchanges may be made in the same, without departing from the spirit of minvention as set forth in the appended c aims.

,Having described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is: 4

1. In a pendent lamp socket, the combination with a one-piece insulatingbase having an opening in t e top thereof to accommodate the leading-inwires, and a transverse opening therein communicating with said topopening, and recesses formed on either side thereof, of -a threadedshell carried on the -under face of said base, a binding post carried onone of said side recesses and electrically connected with said shell, acenter contact also carried on the under face of said base, and abinding post carried on the other recess formed in said base, andelectrically connected with said center contact, a metallic inclosingcasing detachably4 connected to said 4base, and a lining interposedbetween said casing and binding post and threaded shells.

2. In a pendent lamp socket, the combination with 4a one-pieceinsulating base having an opening in the top thereof to accommodate theloading-in wires, and a transverse opening therein communicating Iwithsaid top opening, and recesses formed on either side thcrwhof a threadedshell carried on the under face of said base, a binding ost carried onone of said side recesses and e ectrically connected with s a'id shell,a center contact also carried in the'under face of said base, and

a binding post carried on the other recess' formed in said base, andelectrically con; nected with said center contact, a metallic inclosingcasing detachably `connected to said base, a two art insulating lininghaving the coinciding edges overlapping.

3. In a pendent lamp socket, the combinav tion with an insulating base,said base having an opening formed therein for the leading-in wires,said opening having flaring walls, of a -lamp receiving shell carried bysaid base, a

metal casing of two diameters for said base and shell, a ring or stri ofinsulating material having an inwardly extending flange formed upon thelower edge thereof and disposed between the casing and said base, and asecond ring or strip of insulating material having an outwardlyextending flange formed upon its upper edge, disposed between saidcasing and saidshell, the inwardly and outwardly extending flangescarried by said inolts or screws extending throughy sulating' strips orrings co-acting to form a,

turned up portion dis osed in a recess formed in said base, a stri'aving a portion struck up therefrom, a bo t or screw passing throughsaid base and engaging said struck up portionto secure said strip inposition, the free end of said strip being bent upwardly and disposed ina recess formed in said base, said strip constituting the center contactfor the lamp, and a suitable casing for said socket..

5. A lamp socket comprising an insulating base, associated contactscarried by said base, an inclosin shell or casing of two diameters forsaid soc et and an insulating sheath or lining for said casing, saidlining consisting of two strips or rings of insulating material, thecontiguous edges of said strips or rings having inwardly and outwardlyextending flanges formed thereon, said flanges overlapping and'interlocking to form a continuous insulating member.

6. In a lam socket, the combination with a casing there or formed withdifferent sized diameters, of an insulating lining for said casingconsisting of 'a strip or ring of insulating material for each of saiddiameters, the contiguous edges of said strips or rings of insu,-latinfr material having outwardly and inwardlly extending flanges formedthereon, said flanges being adapted to overlap each other to form aunitary insulating member.

7. In a lain socket, the combination with a casing there or formed withtwo diameters, of a ring or strip of insulating material for" latingmember.

each of said diameters, one of said stri s or rings having an inwardlyextending ange 'formed thereon, the other of said stri s or rings havingan outwardly extending ange formed thereon, said flanges being adaptedto Interlock to form a continuous unitary insusocket, the combinationwith an insulatinor ase carrying associated arts, of a casinglttherefor, and an insulating lining for said base consisting of morethan one strip or ring of insulating material, the contiguous edges ofsaid strips or rings having outwardly and inwardly extending flanges,said langes being adapted to overlap one with the other to form acontinuous unitary insulating member.

9. In an incandescent lamp socket, an in- A 8. n a lam sulatingl liningconsisting of two sections 'of different diameters, the one of largerdiameter having its lower extremity turned inwardly and the one ofsmaller diameter having its up er extremity flared outwardly, wherebywliien the two sections are in proper relative positions the outwardflare of the lower sectionwill overla and contact with the lowerextremity of tiie upper section to produce 'a continuous insulation,substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

- In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presenceof two witnesses.,

. REUBEN B. BENJAMIN. Witnesses:

M. R. RooHFoRD, E. A. OLsEN.

